Update: We've added a second featurette detailing the history of the franchise's most pivotal (and beloved) Hogwarts teacher...Severus Snape!

Pottermania is at an all-time high, since seemingly just about everyone (from devoted fans of the boy wizard to people who just want to see how the blockbuster fantasy saga ends onscreen) is pumped to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 this upcoming weekend.

Early reviews for Deathly Hallows: Part 2 indicate that it will not only deliver all the thrills, dazzling effects, and emotional closure that Potter fans are looking for, but that this film truly deserves to be called THE blockbuster event of Summer 2011. Judging by advanced ticket sales for the movie, the box office will definitely reflect that as well.

Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has already sold out more than 5,000 shows around the U.S., where it will open in 4,375 theaters and on over 11,000 screens this Friday. It's also now Fandango's top-selling title of the year, beating out the likes of Transformers: Dark of the Moon and The Hangover: Part II, and is currently the second all time top pre-seller for the site, ranked only behind The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

Earlier this week, Warner Bros. unveiled a featurette that recapped all eight Potter films in five minutes, sparing fans the task of having to revisit all seven previous installments before seeing the franchise finale (though a lot of people did that anyway). Those of you who saw Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - or skipped it, but want to know what happened in the movie anyway - should check out the studio's newest featurette, to refresh your memory.

For those of you who are planning to see Deathly Hallows: Part 2 sometime after the mad dash of Potter fans at theaters, there is the question: Should you check out the finale in 2D, 3D, or IMAX 3D? The film's marvelous visual effects, CGI, and impressive climactic set piece (the destruction of Hogwarts Castle) are all definitely worth seeing on the big screen, but does it really call for an upgrade to either the third dimension and/or the largest screen size available?

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Although Deathly Hallows: Part 2 wasn't filmed in the IMAX format, it is a truly grand production that boasts the sort of action sequences (massive armies of wizards fighting one another) and magical characters (dragons, giants, enchanted suits of armor) that should look all the more impressive on the really big screen. Honestly, though, you're not likely to miss out that much if you watch it in a regular theater.

As for the 3D: Deathly Hallows: Part 2 boasts the sort of dark visuals that often turn out murky in that format (see: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and the film was converted to 3D in post-production. However, to quote Screen Rant's own Vic Holtreman, who caught the movie at an advanced screening:

Speaking of Harry Potter 8/7.2 3D: I *despise* post-production 3D, but this was by FAR the best post 3D I've ever seen in a film.

We'll have more on that issue, among others, when we post our official review of the film this Friday. In the meantime, be sure to check out our Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Mega Prize Pack Giveaway for the chance to win some sick Potter goodies.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will begin screening in the U.S. right after midnight on July 15th, 2011.